I'm Going For It...Vista64

This is a great forum for information !

I have a new Asus F8Sn-B1 coming (EXcaliberPC) this week.

This will be my indoctrination to Windows Vista. I see where NewEgg has Vista 64-Bit Home Premium for about 100 bucks.

Since I've no experience with Vista anyway I figure I've nothing to lose. My only fear is installing Vista 64 on a laptop. I've installed Windows OS more times than I ever wanted to but on desktops.

My question here is...how should I go about installing Vista 64 on a new laptop that has Vista Home Premium 32 preinstalled ? Reformat & do a clean install ? Install over what's there ?

The only time I've tried a OS install on a laptop it was harder mostly due to video drivers. Of course that was five or six years ago with a Sony & WinXP.

What advice could anyone offer ?

TIA !

 

I would not install it... that's my advice

 

It really depends. The only major problem with 64-bit OS' are drivers. Look through your laptop vendor's driver section, and see if they offer 64-bit drivers for ALL your hardware. If they do, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't give it a go.

 

This is getting off to a poor start. Asus does not seem to have ANY 64bit drivers for their F8Sn laptops.

Hopefully I just haven't find their correct link but I did a search of their site for 64bit/64 bit & came up empty.

This can't be right...can it ?

 

Also instead of BUYING vista 64 bit, your laptop should already come with 32 bit vista no? just get a 64 bit disc and use the existing key, if that doesn't work, use the key on the bottom of the laptop. worked for me.

 

You can't do an in-place upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit. So if you don't delete the old installation first, the installer will delete it for you (I think).

 

no you can't, you have to reformat. i was just trying to save the op $100.

 

I know... I wasn't responding to you harpeet... I just noticed that no one had directly answered that question in this thread yet.

Anyway, I agree... I'd look into getting my hands on a 64-bit Vista DVD or 64-bit Anytime Upgrade DVD (if that still works), before spending $100+. I'd use the key that came with my laptop.

 

If you cant find drivers or dont have 4gb ram dont bother with x64

 

Oh I have the ram. It's the drivers that are the big question.

That is so WEIRD that Asus does not have 64bit drivers on their website. I expected to have a problem here & there re drivers but I certainly did not expect Asus to have NO drivers for Vista64 OS.

Maybe the joke is on me for not checking the Asus site first for something I thought was automatic.

I'll not make that mistake again.

Thanks for all the suggestions...especially about getting a Vista64 DVD & using the key(s) as noted.

 

You can free download the vista 64bit dvd image from digitalriver. Check orevs clean installation guide in the HP section.

 

Great. I'll take all the help I can get. I'm going to 64bit OS until I find out I can't.

 

Determination... I admire that.

You'll probably be alright. Vista's great about finding drivers automatically. I plugged in a printer the other day and it goes out to the internet, downloads the driver and runs the installer automatically. If it doesn't do that for some of your devices, type the device make and model into Google followed by "64-bit Vista driver" and see what you find.

 

Try look at station-drivers.com if you can find driver for your asus lappy.

Here: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/drivers.htm